Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-07-15
VOWEL SPORT.
Hunting Rattlespalse IS on the shores
4# OF Lake George.

| OF Lake George.
Perhaps in no part OF the country,
says The x4lbaag Journal, can be found
q more desirable place for the seeker Of
recreation ind rest to # spend his;
vacation than on the shores Of Lake
George. The clearness Of it's waters
and wild beauty Of its mountain sur
roundings. its fine atmosphere. and
historic recollections make it place OF
more than common interest to the
tourist. Its facilities for hunting and
fishing are unsurpassed. There is one
kind of game that is hunted with much
zeal by lovers of this sport which is
seldom mentioned as an attraction to
the region. This is the hunting of rat
tlesnakes on the mountain lodges and
rocky hillsides every spring. Several
Of our oldest residents make a trip
each spring, when the weather becomes
warm enough, to the home of the
reptiles, of which there are several
well-known dens on the lake. Mr..
Hershel Colvin, of Glens Falls, and
Reuben Ripley, of Lake George, have
long been noted for their annual rattle
snake hunts. This year Mr.. Colvin re-
turned home much Disguised, having
only killed twelve snakes. Their mode
of capturing them is dangerous, to say
the least. Taking their guns they pro-
coed to the places where the rattlers are
wont to assemble and be at about anon 2
the rocks until one is discovered. Then
they shoot him. Oftentimes they ap-
pear suddenly to tine hunter. Then
the sensation is not so pleasant.
The snakes are hunted for the sport,
but some old hunters have great
faith in their oil which they claim is
very penetrating and a great remedy
for rheumatism. The killing off of
large numbers in the spring lessons the
number to wander abroad all around
the lake later in the season, to the an
noyance of cottage campers and hotel
keepers. For as soon as hot weather
begins the snakes leave their dens and
roam over the surrounding country.
They are great swimmers, and swim
across the lake and make no chico Of
a landing-place. Those interested
have men engaged the season through
in killing rattlers. Each morning they
60 ont early with pole and poke into
all the places where snake might be
hidden and kill all they may. tiud. In
some spots man is kept on the watch
at all times for snakes, so that board
ers at hotels as visitors rarely if ever
see SNAKE In fact, there is not an
attendant at q hotel on the lake who
can be enticed to OWN that he ever saw
rattlesnake, to say nothing about
killing one. In spite of all this watch
ing RATHER will manage to get into
house once in q while, and then there
is music for short time among the
ladies'. Old campers On the lake who
have visited it for years can seldom be
forced to- admit that there are many
snakes there, unless they may be in
weighed into telling snake stories, then
| one gets an idea OF snakes. Two spe-
cies of rattl ssnake' exist there, but as 8:
rule they will trouble no one if not dis
turbed. No cases of anybody being
bitten by a snake is recorded unless he
was engaged in hunting them or had
invaded their dens-- An old snake
hunter several wears ago became so
careless that in trying to capture Que
he undertook to catch the snake by the
tail as he slipped under a stone, and
was bitten. Not enough whisky could
be got into him, and he never hunted
any more rattlesnakes> Most expert
enced campers keep supply of snake
root and whisky on hand in case it
should be needed.